Duplicating machine



Dec. 12, 1944. c. H. BRADT DUPLICATING MACHINE 3 Sheets-Sheet l FiledMarch 19, 1942 INVENTDH Emma's 1i BRADT IBYZ a ATTORNEY Dec. 12, 1944.cu. BRADT DUPLICATING MACHINE Filed March 19, 1942 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 T Rm.UR M EH m m Dec. 12, 1944. c. H. BRADT DUPLICATING MACHINE Filed March19 1942 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 INVE i-1 T UR [711219555 H BRADT ATT URNEYPatented Dec. 12, 1944 DUPLICATING MACHINE Charles H. Bradt, Groton, N.Y., assignor to L. C. Smith & Corona Typewriters, Inc., Syracuse, N. Y..a corporation of New York Application March 19, 1942, Serial No. 435,383

4 Claims.

The invention relates to improvements in duplicating machines, and moreparticularly to du-.

plicating machines for making copies by the wet or spirit process ofhectographic duplication.

The invention has for its principal object the provision of improvedmeans for feeding and moistening copy sheets in machines of the kindabove referred to.

Another object of the invention is to provide an improved moisteningmeans automatically controlled to substantially entirely preventundesirable application of ink solvent to parts of the machine when nocopy sheet is in place to receive solvent from the solvent applying member of the moistening mechanism.

A further object is to provide a spirit process duplicator having an inksolvent receiving and applying roller which is controlled by the copysheets to apply solvent to each sheet substantially from end to endirrespective of the length of the sheet and to substantially preventapplication of solvent by said roller to an opposed sheet feed rollerwhile no sheet is interposed between the applying roller and opposedroller.

A further object is to provide an improved construction of rotaryduplicator of the spirit from end to end of copy sheets of lengths equalto or less than the circumference of the master sheet carrying drum orcylinder of the machine, and permitting repeated copying of the matteron the master sheet upon a web of indefinite length.

A specific object of the invention is to provide a spirit processduplicator of the rotary type having solvent applying means with theimproved characteristics above pointed out and wherein the time ofinitial printing contact of a solvent coated copy sheet with a master ona rotating drum of the machine is adjustably variable to initiate suchcontact at any point around the axis of the drum.

Other objects and advantages of the invenftion will appear from thefollowing description of a preferred embodiment of the invention shownin the accompanying drawings, in which:

4-4 of Figure 3.

process type permitting printing substantially Figure 5 is afragmentarysectional view taken approximately on the line 5-5 of Figure1.

Figures 6, 7 and 8 are detail sectional views approximately on the line6-6 of Figure 2 illustrating the operation of a part of the machine.

The improvements embodying the present invention in its preferred formare shown incorporated in a machine otherwise constructed substantiallyas disclosed in Patent No. 2,185,188, granted January 2, 1940; to JohnJ. Flanigan. Only so much of the known machine as is necessary for anunderstanding of the present invention has been illustrated in thedrawings and will be described, and reference may be had to said patentfor further details of the patented machine incorporated in the improvedmachine embodying the present invention.

The'main framework of the machine includes a suitable base H] andupstanding left and right hand vertical side walls Ill and I2 rigidlyheld to said base, The duplicating drum or cylinder I3 is fixed on adrive shaft H which journaled in suitable bearings carried by the sidewalls of the frame, one of said bearings being shown at is in Figure 2.Shaft I4 is continuously rotated in the direction indicated by the arrowin Figure 1 during operation of the machine, and the drum is providedwith a narrow, longitudinal slot I6 in which, in using the machine, theleading end of a master sheet is secured for taking copies from saidsheet. The usual platen roll ii is maintained in constant contact withthe under part of the drum I3 and is tractively driven by the drum.

A suitable copy sheet feed table I8 is fixedly mounted on base Iii atthe forward end of the machine. The rear end of the feed table islocated closely in front of the bight of the known pair of superposedintroductory feed rolls i9 and 20-of the machine. The lower roll 20 isjournaled in the frame for rotation about a fixed horizontal axis. Theupper roll i9 is journaled in the known rocking frame 20 for rotationabout a horizontal axis, said frame being rockable about a horizontalaxis at 22 to raise and lower roll is out of and into contact with roll20. A spring 23 connected to wall l2 and frame 2| normally tends tomaintain roll is in yielding contact with roll 20. The rolls l8 and 20are formed with the known series of circumferential registering groovesH.

The known series of sheet registering stop fingers .25 are mounted andactuated in the known manner by the known means disclosed in saidpatent, the forward ends of said fingers working in the grooves 24 ofrolls I8 and 20 in the known manner. The supporting and controllingmeans for the stops 25 includes the usual rocking framev comprising rockshaft 26 iournaled in the side plates, the cross rod 21 swingable bodilyby the shaft about the shaft, rock arm 28 fixed on shaft 26 and carryinga tappet 28. A spring 38 connected to arm 28 and plate I2 normally urgesrod 21 downward. Stops 25 are loosely mounted on rock shaft 25 withtheir rear arms urged upward against rod 21 by the usual springs 3| asmore fully disclosed in said patent.

The rocking frame 2| carries the usual tappet 32, which tappet and thetappet 28 on rock arm crumed on the frame at 34 and carrying the usualcam follower roll 35 on its rear arm. Lever 33 is rocked by the usualmain cam 36 held to shaft I4 to rotate in unison with drum I3. Thefollower 35 rides on the periphery of cam 36 which has the known longhigh dwell edge portion 36 and short low dwell edge portion 36 As in thepatented machine referred to, a moistening fluid or ink solvent ismaintained at a constant level in a trough 31 mounted onithe frame andextending horizontally between plates II and I2 above and rearward ofthe pair of introductory feed rolls I8 and 28. The known metallicfountain or supply roll 38 is journaled in the side plates for rotationabout a fixed horizontal axis 38 with the lower part of the roll withinthe trough 31. Roll 38 has in its periphery a narrow and shallow helicalgroove 40. The metallic roll 4| for applying the ink solvent to the copysheets is, as in the machine of said patent, journaled in a pair of rockarms 42 having pin and slot sliding pivotal connections 43 with the sideplates II and I2, and springs 44 anchored to said arms and plates tomaintain roll 4| in constant contact with roll 38 and to constantlyyieldingly tend to maintain roll 4| in contact with the usualcounter-pressure feed roll 45. Roll 45 is journaled in the frame sideplates to rotate about a fixed horizontal axis 46, the bight of thesuperposed rolls 4| and 45 being located to the rear of the bight of thepair of rolls I8 and 28 and forward of the bight of the drum I3 andplaten 'roll I'I.

Journaled in plates II and I2 behind roll 4| isa horizontal rock shaft41 having fixed thereto, and extending forwardly therefrom under thefree ends of rock arms 42, a pair of rock arms 48 constantly maintainedin contact with arms 42 by a light spring 48 which is of insuflicientstrength to overcome the weight of roll 4|, and arms 42 and the pull ofsprings 44. Extending vertically entirely across the inner face of theright hand rockarm 48 is a channel 5I|.

As in the machine of said patent there is provided a prop coactive withthe right hand rock arm 48 under control of a copy sheet detector meansconstructed as will now be briefly described. A horizontal rock shaft 5|journaled in plates II and I2 has rigid therewith a series or row ofcopy sheet detector pins or feelers 52 which normally extend upward andrearward from shaft 5| across the path of travel of the copy sheets andin between the stops of the row of copy sheet arresting stops 25 asindicated in Figure 8. Fixed on the right hand end of shaft 5| is apendent rock arm 53 normally yieldingly held in the position shown inFigures 1 and 8 by alight upstanding prop or lever 55, fulcrumedsubstantially midway its ends on plate I2 at 55 to swing fore and aft ofthe machine, has its lower arm connected to arm 53 by a rigid link 51pivoted to both arms to effect movement of said arms in unison and insubstantial parallelism. The upp r end of the prop lever 55 is adaptedeither to be received freely in channel 58 in right hand rock arm 46 (asindicated in Figure 'I) to permit roll 4| to contact roll 45 (or rather,a copy sheet between said rolls), or to be interposed normally undersaid arm 48 at the forward edge of channel 58 (as indicated in Figure 8)to prevent roll 4| from moving down into contact with roll 45.

It will be understood that the drum and the various rolls described aredriven as and by the means disclosed in the prior patent above referredto, the peripheral speed of all the rolls corresponding to that of thedrum. Viewing the machine as in Figure 1., the drum I3, roll 4| and rollI8 have a counterclockwise rotation, whereas the platen roll I'I, roll38, roll 28 and roll 45 have a clockwise rotation. The drum I3, roll 38and roll 20 are positively driven continuously from a suitable source ofhand or motive power. Roll 4| is constantly tractively driven by roll38. The platen roll I! is constantly tractively driven by drum I3. RollI8 when lowered is tractively driven by roll 28, and roll 45 istractively driven by roll 4| when the latter is lowered.

The new features of construction of the machine illustrated in theaccompanying drawings will now be described.

The cam 36 is releasable from shaft I4 for rotative adjustment of thecam in either direction about the shaft relatively to drum I3 through acomplete circuit of 360 degrees, and may be locked to the shaft in anyrotatively adjusted position within said circuit to change the timing ofthe machine. The cam 35 is fixed on the inner end of a sleeve 58 freelyrotative about shaft I4, said sleeve having a finger knob 58 fixed onits outer end. A friction washer 50, loosely encircling shaft spring 54anchored to arm 53 and plate I2. An 7 I4 and seated in a circular recess65 in the outer face of knob 58, is adapted to have pressed tightlythereagainst a flexible friction disk 8| keyed to shaft H by a pin 52. Aclamping nut 63, threaded on the adjacent end of shaft l4 and contactingdisk 6|, is oppositely rotative to frictionally lock the cam to theshaft to rotate with the shaft or to release the friction grip to permitrotative adjustment of the cam. When locked, the cam and sleeve arepressed against an abutment or collar 64 fixed on the shaft I4 by a pin65. Suitable graduation marks 51 are preferably provided on the outerface of knob 58 around recess 66 and a coactive graduation mark orpointer line 58 is preferably provided on the exposed outer face of disk6|. One of the graduations 5'! preferably has the designation 0associated therewith on the knob as indicated at 58.

Drum shaft I4 extends loosely through a mutilated ratchet wheel I8 and amutilated rigid disk 'II which are located between wall I2 and cam 35and are in facewise abutment with the disk located nearest the cam.Ratchet wheel 10 and disk II are coaxial with the drum and cam 36 andare rigidly held to cam 36 to rotate therewith by means of bolt and nutfastenings I2 and spacing sleeves I3. The diameter of the disk II issomewhat less than the diameter of the ratchet wheel at the roots orbases of the wheel teeth. For a short distance therearound the peripheryof the ratchet and the periphery of the disk are cut away to within thesame distance from their axes to provide axially registering recesses asindicated at I4 located within the angle which includes the low dwelledge portion 36 of cam 38. Immediately in advance of the recess therein,the disk 1| has formed on its periphery a small cam hump l5.

Extending rearward from and fixed to rock shaft 41 at the right handside of the machine is a rock arm 16 on which is pivoted on a horizontalaxis at 11 a normall upstanding pawl or dog 18, the nose 18 of which isengageable with ratchet and is formed on the upper arm of the pawl. Thelower arm of the pawl has fixed thereto a laterally extending pin I9engaged in a longitudinal slot 80 formed in a link 8| which extendsrearwardly from and is pivoted at 82 to the upper arm of the prop lever55, A spring 83 normally urges the pawl about its pivot into a positionin which pin 18 is at the rear end of slot 88. Rock arm 16 is providedto the rear of pawl 18 with a laterally extending pin 84 engageable bythe upper arm of the pawl to limit rearward rocking of said arm aboutpivot 11. Journaled on the upper end of the pawl on a horizontal axis at85 is a small metal roll 86 coactive with the periphery of disk 1 i.

Operation During each revolution of the drum, roll i9 is raised andlowered and stops 25 are moved into and out of sheet arresting position,the stops being out of sheet arresting position while roll i9 is loweredand being in sheet arresting position while roll I9 is raised from roll20. When no copy sheet is engaged with the sheet detector, the prop 55remains in the position shown in Figure 8 and the pawl 18 and its roll86 will thus be held rocked relatively to arm 16 in the position shownin dotted lines in Figure 8 and the solvent applying r011 4| cannot movedownward into contact with roll 45. Immediately after roll i9 islowered, during each revolution of the drum and at a time varying withthe rotatively adjusted position with respect to the drum of cam 36,ratchet wheel Ill and disk II, the cam hump engages roll or follower 86on pawl 18 and rocks shaft 41 as shown in Figure 6 to lift roll 4| stillfarther to free prop 55 of pressure from the weight of roll 4|. If nosheet has been introduced into the machine, the roll 4| will re-assumethe Position shown in Figure 8 after hump 15 passes the roll 86.Consequently, it will be seen that, as long as no copy sheets are fedinto the machine, roll 4| will be kept out of contact with roll 45 androll 86 on pawl 18 will be kept in the path of cam hump 15.

If a copy sheet is introduced into the machine against stops while rollI8 is elevated, the sheet will be advanced upon lowering of said rolland will, while hump I5 is passing roll 86, engage the detector andshift the latter and prop 55 into the position shown in Figure 6whereupon roll 4| will lower into contact with the leading end of thecopy sheet as shown in Figure 7 and will remain lowered until thetrailing end of the copy sheet passes from the detector fingers 52. Inthe position of the parts shown in Figure 7, it will be observed thatlink 8| is moved rearward into a position in which spring 88 has rockedpawl I8 to move and hold the nose 18 of pawl 18 forward away fromratchet wheel 10 and to move and hold roll 86 forward out of the path ofcam hump 15, thus disabling the lifting mechanism for the solventapplying roll until the copy sheet completes its transit past fingers52.

As soon as the trailing end of the copy sheet passes fingers 62, link 8|will again be drawn forward by the pull of spring 54 to permiteneagement of the nose of the pawl 18 with the toothed periphery ofratchet wheel 10 as indicated in Figure 3, whereupon the rotatingratchet wheel will rock the pawl against pin 84 and depress arm 16 toelevate roll 4| substantially to the position shown in Figure 6 and thedetector and prop will then move into the position shown in Figure 8. Asthe nose of the pawl leaves the ratchet wheel and the pawl assumes theposition shown in full lines in Figur 8, arm 48 will lower slightly intocontact with the top end of prop 55,

and the roll 86 will engage the periphery of disk H as shown in Figure 8to retain the pawl in the position shown in Figure 8 for subsequentaction of hump 15 on roll 86 and the pawl. The timing is such that roll4| will lower on the extreme leading end of a copy sheet and will onlylift substantially'at the time that the extreme trailing end of thesheet reaches the bight of rolls 4| and 45.

If the trailing end of-a copy sheet or web should pass off of fingers 52while recesses Hi are passing pawl 18, there will, of course, be aslightly delayed action of the lifting and locking up of roll 4i. Sincethe disk H and ratchet wheel iii are adjustable bodily with the timingcam 86 relatively to the drum about the drum axis to any angularlyadjusted relation to the drum slot it, it will be obvious that theleading end of a sheet may be timed to enter the bight of the drum l3,

and platen roller ill with slot l6 at any rotated position with respectto said bight, but that any copy sheet or web fed into the machine willnevertheless have a continuous coating of ink solvent applied to itsupper face substantially from end to end of the sheet or web. If a sheetor web several times as long as the circumference of the drum be fedinto the machine, its upper face will have ink solvent applied theretowithout interruption no matter how many revolutions of the drum arerequired to feed said sheet or web between the drum and platen rollerfor printing,

and said sheet or web will thus be conditioned to receive repeatedimpressions of the matter delineated on the master carried by the drum.

The registering recesses 14 in the ratchet M and disk free the pawl 18to assume the position shown in Figure '7 while a sheet is being fedthrough the machine over fingers 52. If the drum is rotated withoutfeeding copy sheets, the pawl vibrates about its pivot from the positionshown in full lines in Figure 8 to the position shown in dotted lines inFigure 8 and back again each time cam hump 15 and the recesses 14 passthe pawl, and link 8| prevents the roll 88 on the pawl from remainingout of the path of hump 15. The contact of roll 86 with disk II alsoprevent noise which would result if the pawl contacted the ratchet whileroll 4| is elevated.

I claim:

1. A duplicating machine of the class described comprising a rotativemaster sheet carrying drum, a platen roll coactive with the drum, a pairof copy sheet feed rolls for advancing copy sheets toward the bight ofthe drum and platen roll, means for supplying ink solvent to one of saidrolls, means shiftable to separate said feed rolls, a latch normallycoactive with said shiftable means to hold the feed rolls separated,means operable by a copy sheet to release said latch as the leading endof the sheet reaches said pair of on said shiitable means normallyretracted 1mm said ratchet and movable by said sheet operable means intocontact with said ratchet to actuate V the shiitable means to separatethe feed rolls as a copy sheet completes its transit between said rolls.a 2. A duplicating machine of the class described comprising a rotativemaster sheet carrying drum, a platen roll coactive with the drum,"a pairof copy sheet teed rolls for advancing copy sheets toward the bight oithe drum and platen roll, means for supplying ink solvent to one or saidrolls, means shiitable to separate said reed rolls, a latch normallycoactive with said shiitable means to hold the feed rolls-separated,means operable by a copy sheet to release said latch as the leading endof the sheet reaches said pair oi. rolls, a ratchet rotative with thedrum, a pawl-on said shiitable means normally retracted from saidratchet and movable by said sheet operable means into contact with saidratchet to actuate the shiitable means to separate the feed rolls as acopy sheet completes its transit between 'said rolls, and means rotativewith the drum and-engageable with the pawl when the feed rolls areseparated to relieve binding engagement between the latch and shiftablemeans at a predetermined point in the revolution of the drum. I

3. In a duplicating machine of the kind having a rotatively drivenprinting drum and copy sheet feed means periodically operable to advancesheets toward the drum in timed relation to the rotation of the drum,the combination with said the applying roll from the counter pressureroll constantly spring urged toward a position to hold the litter inapplier roll elevating position, a copy sheet detector in advance oi thepplier and counter pressure roll and connected with said prop tomaintain the prop in ineii'ective position during engagement of a sheetwith the detector, and means connecting the prop and pawl to temporarilyengage the pawl with the mutilated ratchet, substantially when a copysheet completes its transit past the detector, to cause liiting of thelitter for engagement oi the prop thereunder.

4. In a duplicating machine of the kind having a rotatively drivenprinting drum and copy sheet feed means periodically operable to advancesheets toward the drum in timed relation to the rotation of the drum,the combination with said drum and feed means of means for moisteningeach sheet advanced toward the drum by said feed means comprising amoisture applying roll, parallel to and in advance of the drum, anunderlying counter pressure roll tor the applying roll rotative about afixed axi parallel to the drum axis, a litter rockable about ahorizontal axis to raise the applying roll from the counter pressureroll and having an arm extending rearward from means limiting swingingoi the pawl in opposition to said spring, a litter prop swingable about4 the pivotal axis of the litter, a mutilated ratchet wheel rotativewith the drum about the drum axis, a pawl pivoted on said am to swinginto and out of engagement with said ratchet wheel, a spring normallyurging said pawl from the ratchet,

an axis parallel to that of the litter and constantly spring urgedtoward a position to hold the lifter in applier roll elevating position,a copy sheet detector in advance ofthe applier and counter pressure rolland connected with said prop to maintain the prop in ineflectiveposition 40 during engagement of a sheet with the detector,

and having an arm extending rearward from the pivotal axis of thelifter, a mutilated ratchet wheel rotative with the drum about the drumaxis, a pawl pivoted on said arm to swing into and and means connectingthe prop and pawl to temporarily engage the pawl with the mutilatedratchet substantially when a copy sheet completes its transit past thedetector, to cause litting of the litter for engagement of the propthereunder, and a mutilated cam rotative with the ratchet and drum andeoactive with the pawl to raise the litter from the prop as a copy sheetreaches the detector.

CHARLES H. BRAIYI'.

